NEPAD

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What new resources they intend to commit to the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) agreed at the G8 Summit in Kananaskis.

Baroness Amos: Over the course of the last year, a number of African leaders have been working together to draw up the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) which seeks to put in place the policies necessary in Africa for sustainable development. In response to this initiative, G8 leaders prepared an Africa Action Plan, which was finalised at the G8 Summit in Kananaskis.
	The G8 plan includes a commitment that half or more of the new development funds announced at Monterrey (ie 6 billion dollars) could be used in African countries, but only if they put the NEPAD principles into practice and create the right policy environment.
	NEPAD itself is not a funding mechanism, and is not envisaged as a body that will implement projects. It is not therefore something that the UK will fund directly.
	We are, though committed to increasing significantly the levels of development assistance provided to Africa. We have already doubled our bilateral assistance to Africa since 1997, and will increase it by a further 50 per cent so that by 2006 we will be spending £1 billion in Africa each year.

NEPAD

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action will be taken under the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) agreed at the G8 Summit in Kananaskis to reduce the debt burden of African countries and to improve trade links between Africa and G8 countries.

Baroness Amos: Over the course of the last year, a number of African leaders have been working together to draw up the New Partnership for Africa's Development which seeks to put in place the policies necessary in Africa for sustainable development. In response to this initiative, G8 leaders prepared an Africa Action Plan, which was finalised at the G8 Summit in Kananaskis. As part of this, G8 leaders agreed their commitment to ensure the full financing of the enhanced heavily indebted poor countries initiative and that up to an extra 1 billion US dollars should be provided for the HIPC Trust Fund. G8 leaders also "reaffirmed their commitment to conclude negotiations no later than 1 January 2005 on further trade liberalisation in the Doha round of multilateral trade negotiations taking full account of the particular circumstances, needs and requirements of developing countries, including in Africa". In addition, G8 countries will work toward the objective of duty free and quota free access for all products originating from least developed countries.
	The full version of the Africa Action Plan; which gives further details on these and other areas, has been placed in the House Library.

NEPAD

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are entirely satisfed with the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) agreed at the G8 Summit at Kananaskis. (
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Baroness Amos: The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is an African initiative that sets out a framework for conflict resolution and sustainable development in Africa. At Kananaskis, the G8 agreed on an Action Plan for Africa as an initial response to NEPAD. The plan is a good first step in what we see as a long-term process of building a new partnership with Africa. There is more to be done to implement the commitments expressed by both the Africans and the G8.

Diplomatic Missions: Minor Traffic Violation Fines

Lord Dixon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many outstanding parking and other minor traffic violation fines were incurred by diplomatic missions during the year ending 31 December 2001.

Baroness Amos: Unpaid parking and minor traffic violation fines—2001—diplomatic vehicles.
	
		
			 Diplomatic mission International organisation No of fines outstanding Amount 
			 Angola 1,088 £44,470,00 
			 United Arab Emirates 287 £14,150,00 
			 Libya 222 £10,710,00 
			 China 156 £6,400,00 
			 Egypt 151 £7,030,00 
			 Mozambique 147 £5,940,00 
			 Iran 140 £8,250,00 
			 Ukraine 140 £7,949,00 
			 Qatar 122 £5,790,00 
			 Greece 111 £5,650,00 
			 Ghana 96 £4,090,00 
			 France 95 £5,330,00 
			 Turkey 87 £4,980,00 
			 Algeria 69 £3,840,00 
			 Morocco 68 £3,830,00 
			 Zambia 64 £3,710,00 
			 Russia 51 £2,800,00 
			 Ethiopia 47 £1,990,00 
			 Jamaica 43 £2,670,00 
			 Jordan 42 £2,480,00 
			 International Maritime Organisation 40 £2,000,00 
			 Vietnam 40 £2,280,00 
			 Cyprus 39 £1,790,00 
			 Mongolia 39 £2,630,00 
			 Georgia 38 £2,250,00 
			 Brunei 37 £1,540,00 
			 Kazakhstan 37 £2,180,00 
			 Philippines 37 £2,000,00 
			 Albania 35 £1,430,00 
			 Afghanistan 34 £1,940,00 
			 Hungary 32 £1,390,00 
			 Poland 31 £1,250,00 
			 Bahrain 30 £1,650,00 
			 Malaysia 30 £1,360,00 
			 Yemen 30 £1,410,00 
			 Pakistan 29 £1,680,00 
			 Peru 29 £1,680,00 
			 United States of America 27 £1,010,00 
			 Cuba 26 £950,00 
			 Oman 26 £3,010,00 
			 Portugal 25 £3,550,00 
			 Dominican Republic 23 £1,390,00 
			 Romania 22 £1,140,00 
			 Rwanda 20 £850,00 
			 Tunisia 20 £1,200,00 
			 Uganda 20 £,840,00 
			 Kenya 19 £730,00 
			 Sierra Leone 19 £2,120,00 
			 Commonwealth Secretariat 18 £1,400,00 
			 Kuwait 16 £6,810,00 
			 Sudan 16 £760,00 
			 Cote D'Ivoire 15 £1,810,00 
			 Barbados 15 £600,00 
			 Belgium 15 £780,00 
			 Brazil 14 £950,00 
			 Zimbabwe 14 £560,00 
			 Mexico 13 £1,210,00 
			 Spain 13 £1,050,00 
			 Germany 12 £540,00 
			 Bulgaria 11 £670,00 
			 Gabon 11 £780,00 
			 Uzbekistan 11 £470,00 
			  
			  4,254 217,699

Diplomatic Missions NNDR

Lord Dixon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom owed more than £10,000 as of the 5 April in respect of national non-domestic rates (NNDR) for office premises.

Baroness Amos: Most diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom meet their obligations and pay the NNDR requested from them. However, as at 5 April 2002, the following missions owed over £10,000 in respect of NNDR:
	
		
			 Country Amount 
			 Bulgaria £117,511.13 
			 Iran 97,352.55 
			 Sierra Leone 48,274.76 
			 Algeria 43,194.62 
			 Mozambique 31,116.14 
			 Cameroon 27,646.19 
			 Uganda 24,760.37 
			 Bangladesh 20,636.91 
			 Syria 20,004.66 
			 Zambia 19,276.56 
			 Senegal 14,600.98 
			 Jordan 13,154.29 
			 Cote d'Ivoire 12,066.16 
			  
			 Total £489,595.32 
		
	
	Eleven additional diplomatic missions which each owe more than £10,000 in respect of NNDR have made arrangements with the Valuation Office Agency to clear their outstanding debts have not been included in the list. These 11 missions owe £729,731.66. The total amount outstanding from all missions, therefore, is £1,219,326.98

Public Guardianship Office: Annual Report and Accounts 2001–02

Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the annual report and accounts for 2001–02 of the Public Guardian Office will be laid before Parliament.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: I have today laid before the House the Public Guardianship Office's annual report and accounts for 2001–02 which gives full details of the agency's performance and expenditure for that year.

Criminal Justice: Government Response to Auld and Halliday Reports

Lord Harris of Haringey: asked the Lord Chancellor:
	When the Government expect to publish a detailed response to Sir Robin Auld's Review of the Criminal Courts of England and Wales and John Halliday's of Making Punishments Work—a Review of the Sentencing Framework for England and Wales.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: Justice for All presented to Parliament on 17 July set out our policy on reform of the criminal justice system. We made clear that we are indebted to Sir Robin Auld and John Halliday for their extensive and thorough review of the criminal courts and sentencing policy. Today we publish a detailed resonse to all their recommendations and I have placed copies in the Library of the House.

Lord Chancellor's Department

Lord Gordon of Strathblane: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will make an announcement on the recent changes in the functions of the Lord Chancellor's Department.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: For the assistance of noble Lords I have today placed in the Library of each House a list which sets out briefly the current functions of my department.

Law Commission: Quinquennial Review

Baroness Whitaker: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the next quinquennial review of the Law Commission is to take place.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: I am today announcing the start of a QQR of the Law Commission. The approach to the review will take into account the wider process of law reform and the relationship between the Law Commission and other agencies involved in that process, particularly government departments. It is expected that a final report, outlining key findings and recommendations, will be produced by the end of the year.
	John Halliday CB has been appointed as Head of Review. Mr Halliday has been selected for this role because of the extent of his knowledge of the operation of government, Parliament and the Civil Service. In particular, he has experience of working with the Law Commission and of leading the fundamental review of the framework for sentencing criminal offenders in England and Wales. This resulted in the Halliday report, 2001.
	Copies of the terms of reference for the review have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Retrials in Serious Criminal Cases

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What criteria have to be satisfied before a retrial can be ordered in a serious criminal case.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: In accordance with the Criminal Appeal Act 1968, a court can only order a retrial in a serious criminal case if (a) it is in the public interest to do so, and (b) the retrial would be conducted without unfairness to, or oppression of, the defendant.

Highland Midges

Lord Campbell of Croy: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they are taking to encourage the search for effective measures to protect people and animals from attacks by Highland midges.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: This matter is devolved to the Scottish Executive and the noble Lord may wish to write to them about the issue.

Treasury Silver

Lord Freyberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 10 June (WA5), by what criteria the Treasury determined that the threshold above which "not to sell items . . . with the greatest historical and heritage significance" should be £1 million; and whether these criteria are those followed by all government departments; and
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 10 June (WA5), why there is such a discrepancy between the Treasury's threshold of £1 million and the open general export licence limit of £39,600 for antique silver, when the purpose of the OGEL system is to prevent the dispersal of the national heritage; and
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 11 April (WA115), by what criteria the Treasury determined that these 15 items of silver should be classified as a single group under their policy "not to sell items valued at over £1 million with the greatest historical and heritage significance; and
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 11 April (WA115), why the lots of Privy Council silver that were withdrawn from auction on 29 October 2001 were not classified in the same group as the 12 candlesticks and inkstands, and therefore protected by the decision "not to sell items valued at over £1 million with the greatest historical and heritage significance".

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The noble Lord's questions suggest that the Treasury has adopted a policy of not selling items valued at more than £1 million. That is not the case. The candlesticks and inkstands to which he refers were excluded from the sale because some of them are in operational use, not by reference to any arbitrary threshold or other policy. My previous statement that the items were valued at more than £1 million was an observation of fact, not an explanation of a policy.

Treasury Silver

Lord Freyberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 11 April (WA115), why, when the Treasury has stated that they are of "the greatest historical and heritage significance", these 15 items of silver are not classified as "heritage assets" under the guidelines provided in the Resource Accounting Manual.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: While the items are of the greatest significance of any item in the Treasury's silver collection, they are not of such significance as to merit classification as heritage items—which is a term used to cover items of national importance such as Stonehenge and Nelson's column.

Treasury Silver

Lord Freyberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 10 June (WA5), by what criteria the Treasury distinguishes an "antique asset" from an object classified under "fixtures and fittings".

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: There is no special definition of the term "antique"; it is taken as having its plain English meaning. All items which might possibly be considered as antiques are drawn to the attention of professional valuers, who confirm or reject this classification.

Life Peers

Lord Lipsey: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the actuarially expected mortality rate of life Peers year by year over the next 20 years, assuming that no life Peers are appointed.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The aggregate mortality rates of life Peers year by year over the next 20 years, assuming that no new life Peers are appointed, is estimated as follows:
	
		
			 Period Estimated mortality rate over period per 100,000 alive at beginning of period 
			   
			 1 July 2002–30 June 2003 3,589 
			 1 July 2003–30 June 2004 3,658 
			 1 July 2004–30 June 2005 3,733 
			 1 July 2005–30 June 2006 3,814 
			 1 July 2006–30 June 2007 3,901 
			 1 July 2007–30 June 2008 3,994 
			 1 July 2008–30 June 2009 4,094 
			 1 July 2009–30 June 2010 4,201 
			 1 July 2010–30 June 2011 4,316 
			 1 July 2011–30 June 2012 4,443 
			 1 July 2012–30 June 2013 4,580 
			 1 July 2013–30 June 2014 4,725 
			 1 July 2014–30 June 2015 4,880 
			 1 July 2015–30 June 2016 5,047 
			 1 July 2016–30 June 2017 5,227 
			 1 July 2017–30 June 2018 5,418 
			 1 July 2018–30 June 2019 5,624 
			 1 July 2019–30 June 2020 5,839 
			 1 July 2020–30 June 2021 6,062 
			 1 July 2021–30 June 2022 6,295 
		
	
	The aggregate mortality rates shown in the table give the numbers of expected deaths over the period shown, assuming 100,000 people alive at the beginning of the period. Since it is assumed that no new life Peers are created, the average age of those remaining increases over time and hence the aggregate mortality rate for those remaining also rises.
	The mortality rates shown in the table have been calculated by the Government Actuary's Department and are consistent with those used to project the numbers of life Peers at each 1 July for the period 1 July 2002 to 1 July 2012 assuming that no new life Peers are created, given in the written reply of 10 June 2002 to Question of the noble Lord, Lord Jacobs, to the Lord Chancellor (WA2).

Criminal Cases in Consequence of 1994 Bomb Explosions at Embassy of Israel and Balfour House

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many instances of human error affecting full disclosure occurred and when, both at first instance and on appeal, in the criminal cases tried in consequence of the bomb explosions on 26 Juy 1994, at the Embassy of Israel and Balfour House; and whether anyone has been disciplined on account of these errors.[HL5196]

Lord Goldsmith: The appellants in this matter have petitioned the House of Lords for leave to appeal. Whether leave to appeal will be granted is under active consideration. As such it is inappropriate at this stage to comment on matters which may in due course be aired in court.

Local Government

Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What monitoring of local government workings, where a cabinet system has been introduced, has been undertaken; and, if monitoring has taken place, what are the findings.

Lord Rooker: Officials at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister maintain a record to monitor the implementation by local authorities under the Local Government Act 2000 of their new constitutions, including those authorities operating or planning to operate executive arrangements involving a cabinet.
	According to the information which local authorities have provided:
	as of 11 July 2002, 383 local authorities have implemented a new constitution, with the remaining three planning to implement by the end of 2002; 316 authorities are operating executive arrangements involving a leader and cabinet; 10 local authorities are or will be operating executive arrangements involving a directly elected mayor and cabinet; one local authority will be operating executive arrangements involving a directly elected mayor and cabinet; the remaining 59 authorities are operating the alternative form of arrangements available under the Act involving a streamlined version of the committee system. One of these will be holding a referendum on whether to move to arrangements involving a directly elected mayor and cabinet executive, having received a valid petition from local people which requires such a referendum.
	This monitoring supports the public service agreement target the Government have set to ensure that by December 2002 each council has adopted and put into operation a new constitution which is transparent, accountable and efficient
	In addition, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has recently let a contract to a consortium involving Manchester University, Birkbeck College London, Goldsmith College London and Salford University, to undertake a five-year evaluation of the new council constitutions policy, including the effectiveness of executive arrangements. Results of this evaluation are not yet available.

Parish Councils: Code of Conduct

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 13 June (HL Deb, cols. 367–68), what system is in place, and under what Act of Parliament, to address the situation when a parish councillor, in mid-term, refuses to sign the code of conduct, declines to fill in the register of interests and does not offer his or her resignation.

Lord Rooker: The Local Government Act 2000 requires members of parish councils to give a written undertaking to observe the authority's code of conduct. If a member fails to give that undertaking within two months of the authority adopting a code, he or she ceases to be a member of the authority.
	Members must complete a register of interests within 28 days of a code applying to their parish council, as a result either of the council adopting a code, or of the statutory application of the model code from 5 May on all councils which had not by then adopted a code. Failure to complete a register could lead to investigation by the Standards Board for England.

Accommodation for the Homeless: London

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How accommodation for the homeless in London is monitored; against what specifications; and how the accommodation is funded.

Lord Rooker: Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 requires local housing authorities to secure suitable accommodation for homeless applicants who are eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and have a priority need for accommodation for particular applicants having regard to the circumstances and needs of the applicant and their household. In determining whether accommodation is suitable for an applicant, authorities must have regard to Parts 9, 10 and 11 of the Housing Act 1996 which deal with slum clearance, overcrowding and houses in multiple occupation, respectively. Applicants have the right to ask for a review of the suitability of accommodation offered to them and, if dissatisfied with the authority's review decision, can appeal to the county court on a point of law.
	Where authorities secure accommodation for a homeless applicant under Part 7, they may require the applicant to pay reasonable charges for, or a reasonable contribution towards, the cost of the accommodation. Applicants on a low income may claim housing benefit towards the accommodation costs. The net costs to local authorities of securing accommodation for homeless applicants are funded through general grant. Costs related to the use of authorities' own housing stock which fall within the housing revenue account are supported by housing revenue account subsidy.
	The annual general grant for English local authorities has already been increased by £8 million in respect of legislative changes that will be introduced by the Homelessness Act 2002 and the proposed Homelessness (Priority Need for Accommodation) (England) 2002. A further £10 million will be allocated to English authorities this year to help them implement the priority need order.
	In March this year, a £35 million programme was launched to help local authorities ensure that by March 2004 no homeless family with children is in B&B other than in an emergency, and even then for no more than six weeks. Statutory guidance issued by my department makes it clear that if authorities do have to use bed-and-breakfast accommodation they should ensure that the accommodation meets statutory standards for houses in multiple occupation. My department is currently consulting with specialist bodies on draft proposals for minimum acceptable standards of B&B accommodation in advance of a wider consultation in due course.
	In London, over 450 hostels provide around 19,600 beds for single homeless people. Hostels are funded in several ways. These include rent/housing benefit, supported housing management grant (SHMG) which is provided through the Housing Corporation revenue grant and other funding such as Section 180 grant funding.
	As part of a drive to improve the information available to policy makers and service providers, the Homelessness Directorate set up within my department in March 2002 will investigate the range of accommodation available to homeless people. This will involve defining, and establishing, the number of different sorts of accommodation.
	Supporting People and the Homelessness Act 2002 requirement for local authorities to conduct homelessness reviews will also improve the information collected on hostel use. In addition, to ensure that best practice is replicated thorough the country we are exploring the feasibility of ensuring that hostels are inspected in a structured way, by either the voluntary or statutory sectors.

Gypsy Accommodation

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will draw the attention of local authorities to the case of Casey v Hertsmere in which it was decided that the borough council had not satisfied the requirements of Circular 1/94 in that it had failed to carry out any quantitative assessment of the need for gypsy accommodation.

Lord Rooker: I cannot comment on particular planning cases. Decision-makers in planning cases, including planning appeals, must take into account a variety of issues and circumstances as well as local and national planning policies whether they involve gypsies or members of the settled community. The weight to be attached to a particular concern is a matter of judgement for the decision-maker.

Science, Engineering and Technology

Baroness Hilton of Eggardon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their plans for the future of science, engineering and technology in the United Kingdom.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government are today publishing Investing in Innovation: a strategy for science, engineering and technology. This document sets out the Government's strategy for science, underpinned by the substantial new investment in science announced on 15 July by my right honourable friend the Member for Dunfermline East.
	It sets out what the Government propose to do, in partnership with other stakeholders, to ensure the long-term sustainability of our university research base. It provides details of how the Government intend to implement the recommendations of the Roberts review. It makes clear the Government's commitment to continuing to expand our research base by strengthening existing research programmes through the research councils and allowing for research into exciting and promising new areas of science.
	The document shows how government will further encourage collaboration between universities and the business sector through increased investment in knowledge transfer activities, and in particular, through an expansion of the Higher Education Innovation Fund. It also sets out how the DTI will increase the diffusion of advances in science and technology in the economy.
	Finally, it shows what steps the Government will take to improve the quality of the science done by government departments, and commissioned from others.
	Copies of the document have been placed in the Libraries of the House and may be viewed at http://www.ost.gov.uk/whats–new.htm.

Dangerous Severe Personality Disorder

Lord Lucas: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What funding they have made available in the past year for research into the treatment of "dangerous severe personality disorder".

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government have allocated substantial funds for research into the treatment of individuals who are dangerous as a result of a severe personality disorder (DSPD). In total, during the past year the joint Home Office, Department of Health and Prison Service DSPD Programme contracted research on this issue to the value of £232,887.00.
	A further substantial programme of research into the treatment of DSPD is planned for 2003 and 2004.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate: Complaints Audit Committee Annual Report 2001–02

Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have received the annual report for 2001–02 of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's independent Complaints Audit Committee.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: A copy of the report has been placed in the Library and will be placed on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate website. It is a useful and informative document, and we are grateful to the committee for its comments and its recommendations. We are currently considering how best to implement the recommendations.

Prison Service: Key Performance Indicator Measures

Lord Burlison: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to publish the final key performance indicator targets for the Prison Services for 2002–03.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Prison Service Business Plan for 2002–03, published in February 2002, included key performance indicator (KPI) measures for the year but at that stage not all the associated targets had been finalised.
	The full set of measures and targets for 2002–03 are listed as follows:
	to ensure no escapes of Category A prisoners;
	to ensure that the number of escapes from prisons and from escorts undertaken by Prison Service staff, expressed as a proportion of the average prison population, is lower than 0.05 per cent;
	to ensure that the number of escapes from contracted-out escorts is no more than one per 20,000 prisoners handled;
	to ensure that the number of positive adjudications of assault on prisoners, staff and others, expressed as a proportion of the average prison population, is lower than 9 per cent;
	to ensure that the number of prisoners held two to a cell designed for one, expressed as a proportion of the average prison population, does not exceed 18 per cent;
	to ensure that the number of minority ethnic staff in the Prison Service, expressed as a proportion of the total workforce, is at least 4.5 per cent by April 2003;
	to ensure that average staff sickness does not exceed nine working days per person by April 2003;
	to ensure that the average cost per uncrowded prison place does not exceed £38,743;
	to ensure that the average cost per prisoner does not exceed £36,539;
	to deliver 7,100 accredited offending behaviour programme completions in 2002–03, including 950 sex offender treatment programmes;
	to ensure that prisoners spend on average at least 24 hours per week in purposeful activity;
	to ensure the rate of positive results from random mandatory drug test is lower than 10 per cent by April 2003;
	to achieve a 5 per cent reduction in the number of self-inflicted deaths expressed as a rate per 100,000 of average population compared with 2001–02;
	prisoners to achieve 45,000 key skills awards and 28,800 in basic skills including 10,800 at level 2, 12,000 at level 1 and 6,000 at entry level;
	to ensure 28,200 prisoners have a job, training or education place after release by April 2003; and
	to develop and pilot a joint indicator with Department of Health to reduce waiting times for mental health transfers and to implement the KPI from April 2003.

Forensic Science Service

Lord Stallard: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to review the Forensic Science Service.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: A review of the Forensic Science Service will commence on 2 September and is expected to be completed by spring 2003. The review team, independently lead by Robert McFarland, a former chief executive of the BOC Group, has been appointed and preliminary work is already underway. A steering group, chaired by one of my officials, will oversee the review and recommendations will be made to me in due course. We will report back to the House on its findings.
	The review process will provide extensive opportunities for consultation work with internal and external stakeholders and will follow the procedures recommended in the guidance for the review of executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies publilshed by the Cabinet Office.

Police Use of Firearms

Baroness Howells of St Davids: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What the most recent statistics are for the police use of firearms.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The statistics for April 2000 to March 2001 show that the number of police operations in which firearms were issued was 11,109. The number of occasions on which firearms were discharged by police increased to nine.
	There was a small decrease in the number of operations in which armed response vehicles were deployed.
	Full details are set out in the tables:
	
		Number of Operations in which Firearms were Authorised
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
			 Total 11,842 10,928 10,915 11.109 
			 Avon & Somerset 139 88 90 65 
			 Bedfordshire 323 260 190 294 
			 Cambridgeshire 96 43 75 71 
			 Cheshire 216 299 386 545 
			 Cleveland 103 35 76 28 
			 City of London 307 147 125 3 
			 Cumbria 68 52 24 30 
			 Derbyshire 147 176 178 167 
			 Devon & Cornwall 133 61 65 151 
			 Dorset 54 69 79 174 
			 Durham 103 114 114 40 
			 Essex 505 590 497 435 
			 Gloucestershire 51 52 52 48 
			 Greater Manchester 165 160 224 357 
			 Hampshire 217 129 103 114 
			 Hertfordshire 82 75 73 86 
			 Humberside 472 317 193 158 
			 Kent 423 92 85 83 
			 Lancashire 338 616 267 242 
			 Leicestershire 89 109 222 217 
			 Lincolnshire 52 57 155 336 
			 Merseyside 675 484 489 825 
			 Metropolitan 2,578 2,742 2,862 1,862 
			 Norfolk 128 185 239 226 
			 Northamptonshire 77 51 57 58 
			 Northumbria 823 683 465 708 
			 North Yorkshire 102 69 61 72 
			 Nottinghamshire 306 266 255 233 
			 South Yorkshire 302 135 237 127 
			 Staffordshire 240 209 174 203 
			 Suffolk 193 174 165 176 
			 Surrey 87 60 143 221 
			 Sussex 330 123 185 353 
			 Thames Valley 227 158 110 153 
			 Warwickshire 152 291 194 233 
			 West Mercia 132 130 110 36 
			 West Midlands 227 305 362 485 
			 West Yorkshire 630 662 813 822 
			 Wiltshire 26 24 19 66 
			 Dyfed Powys 27 38 37 18 
			 Gwent 86 64 39 30 
			 North Wales 310 386 371 195 
			 South Wales 101 148 255 363 
		
	
	
		Number of Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs)
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
			 Total 6,585 6,308 6,262 6,064 
			 Avon & Somerset 161 153 150 135 
			 Bedfordshire 42 50 46 45 
			 Cambridgeshire 80 80 77 73 
			 Cheshire 82 70 75 74 
			 Cleveland 84 78 80 75 
			 City of London 81 55 73 74 
			 Cumbria 122 98 98 94 
			 Derbyshire 100 87 77 81 
			 Devon & Cornwall 147 82 119 100 
			 Dorset 72 72 66 67 
			 Durham 144 96 101 101 
			 Essex 217 235 228 195 
			 Gloucesteshire 84 79 77 72 
			 Greater Manchester 182 217 218 240 
			 Hampshire 112 110 111 100 
			 Hertfordshire 41 43 52 44 
			 Humberside 102 102 97 102 
			 Kent 150 130 136 136 
			 Lancashire 125 132 143 132 
			 Leicestershire 94 90 90 85 
			 Lincolnshire 85 75 78 80 
			 Merseyside 165 121 96 103 
			 Metropolitan 1,971 1,951 1,977 1,940 
			 Norfolk 102 109 110 114 
			 Northamptonshire 92 92 75 77 
			 Northumbria 126 123 114 109 
			 North Yorkshire 95 83 59 66 
			 Nottinghamshire 129 120 116 137 
			 South Yorkshire 108 90 100 98 
			 Staffordshire 86 92 81 67 
			 Suffolk 96 101 98 90 
			 Surrey 61 69 71 72 
			 Sussex 146 156 131 118 
			 Thames Valley 194 179 187 185 
			 Warwickshire 38 44 54 45 
			 West Mercia 159 139 129 130 
			 West Midlands 95 92 93 83 
			 West Yorkshire 114 128 110 117 
			 Wiltshire 105 88 89 71 
			 Dyfed Powys 71 67 65 61 
			 Gwent 59 64 68 66 
			 North Wales 90 97 92 67 
			 South Wales 176 169 155 143 
		
	
	
		Number of Operations involving Armed Response Vehicles (ARVs) -- Annex C
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
			 Total 7,544 7,791 8,276 8,179 
			 Avon & Somerset 121 83 78 56 
			 Bedfordshire 285 240 172 253 
			 Cambridgeshire 19 27 54 36 
			 Cheshire 166 247 330 441 
			 Cleveland 57* 29 25 16 
			 City of London 34 32 24 30 
			 Cumbria 43 38 21 27 
			 Derbyshire 99 153 167 152 
			 Devon & Cornwall 58 43 52 121 
			 Dorset 50 66 69 155 
			 Durham 85 84 67 31 
			 Essex 180 285 244 206 
			 Gloucesteshire 48 49 44 39 
			 Greater Manchester 56 43 173 302 
			 Hampshire 170 114 90 84 
			 Hertfordshire 25 26 44 65 
			 Humberside 437 277 181 136 
			 Kent 212 74 58 64 
			 Lancashire 321 596 250 177 
			 Leicestershire 68 109 144 195 
			 Lincolnshire 34 42 141 324 
			 Merseyside 559 396 466 75 
			 Metropolitan 954 1,573 1,812 1,380 
			 Norfolk 117 167 210 192 
			 Northamptonshire 29 32 21 35 
			 Northumbria 515 503 397 655 
			 North Yorkshire 52 30 40 54 
			 Nottinghamshire 256* 246 232 207 
			 South Yorkshire 252 115 214 103 
			 Staffordshire 206 185 131 136 
			 Suffolk 135 104 101 103 
			 Surrey 76 46 110 192 
			 Sussex 284 0* 172 245 
			 Thames Valley 184 139 108 108 
			 Warwickshire 127 220 158 194 
			 West Mercia 98 99 98 26 
			 West Midlands 102 129 138 243 
			 West Yorkshire 586 630 787 785 
			 Wiltshire 21 17 15 48 
			 Dyfed Powys 19 30 37 18 
			 Gwent 47 39 27 17 
			 North Wales 260 298 354 155 
			 South Wales 97 136 220 298 
		
	
	* these forces have changed the counting method for incidents to which ARVs are deployed

England Rural Development Programme

The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answers by Lord Whitty on 19 June (WA89) and on 16 July (WA137), whether they will now answer the Question with regard to administrative costs for each £1 of grant aid subsidy made under the environmental programme.

Lord Whitty: For each £1 of grant paid under the England Rural Development Programme the Government spend approximately 18p on technical advice to recipients and administration.

Defra and Forestry Commission: Spending Plans

Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the spending plans for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and for the Forestry Commission for the next three years following the 2002 Spending Review.

Lord Whitty: The results of the Spending Review for Defra and the Forestry Commission are summarised in Chapter 16 of the White Paper on 2002 Spending Review (Cm 5570). The key figures are as follows: £ million
	
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
			  Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
			 Resource Budget 2,443 2,765 2,742 2,792 
			 Capital Budget 241 316 344 354 
			 Total Departmental  Expenditure Limit(1) 2,523 2,902 2,890 2,944 
			 Department of  Environment, Food  and Rural Affairs(1) 2,426 2,808 2,796 2,850 
			 Forestry Commission(1) 97 94 94 94 
			 Near-cash spending in  Defra DEL(2) 2,341 2,727 2,710 2,757 
		
	
	(1) Full resource budgeting basis, net of depreciation.
	(2) Consistent with previous control basis.
	When Defra was created, the objective was to have a step change in the way environment, agriculture and rural issues were treated in government. The aim was to create a department with sustainable development at its heart—and with responsibility for supporting sustainable development across government. For Defra this means working to achieve a better environment at home and internationally. It also means a food and farming industry working within a prosperous countryside, producing the food that consumers want in harmony with the environment.
	For the Government as a whole, sustainable development goes much further. The vital importance of sustainable development for government as a whole underlay the decision to make it a central theme of the Spending Review. As custodian of the Government's sustainable development strategy, I particularly welcome the elements of the settlement, for my own department and for others, which will deliver significant improvements in key policy areas. These include.
	Climate change––where we will invest in innovation to meet our climate change objectives, building on existing funding for renewable energy sources with an additional £38 million in 2005–06 compared with 2002–03, and make further progress towards our greenhouse gas emissions targets;
	Health––where we have announced the biggest ever sustained spending growth in the history of the NHS, to improve health outcomes and the quality of care for patients;
	Education––where increased spending and further reforms are aimed at getting and helping 16–19 year olds into further education;
	And Crime––where extra funding for the police will help them target reductions in vehicle crime, domestic burglaries and robbery, and reduce the gap between the highest crime local areas and the best comparable areas.
	In addition, new spending on transport and regeneration will improve the quality of our local environments. For example, capital expenditure on capital transport plans––which includes expenditure on home zones, cycling, walking and local safety schemes––is doubling in real terms from 2001–11 as part of the Ten Year Transport Plan. The neighbourhood renewal fund is being increased from £400 million in 2003–04 to £525 million in 2005–06, in part reflecting an increased commitment to safer and cleaner communities.
	Let me now explain how the Spending Review settlement will impact on Defra's programmes over the next three years and will assist the department in pursuing its aims and objectives.
	Sustainable Farming and Food
	When Defra was created, the farming industry was in crisis. Foot and Mouth disease, coupled with the lowest farm incomes in many years, had destroyed farmers' confidence, and in some cases, their livelihoods. The review provides Defra with the resources to make progress––working together with the industry––towards a more sustainable future for the farming and food industries. Investment totalling over £500 million over three years will be available to support the key recommendations of the policy commission chaired by Sir Don Curry, and to improve animal health and welfare.
	Action through the England Rural Development Programme, including:
	A new broad and shallow agri-environment scheme which will reward farmers for delivering environmentally friendly outcomes to be piloted over the next two years and then rolled out in full in 2005–06;
	An expansion of schemes such as the Rural Enterprise Scheme, the Processing and Marketing Grants Scheme and the Vocational Training Scheme to assist people in rural areas retrain, diversify and extend their businesses;
	A more efficient food chain;
	Enhanced farm advice; and
	Further measures to improve animal health and welfare, including livestock identification and tracing systems, enhanced testing for TSE-type disease (such as BSE); and further action to prevent illegal meat imports.
	The additional funding will rise to £200 million in 2005–06, of which £75 million has been specifically allocated to fund, alongside equivalent EU funding, the full roll-out of the new agri-environment scheme in England. Additional funding will also be made available to the devolved administrations to allow them to increase expenditure on their rural development programmes. In return for the investment in their industry, farmers will be expected to play their part in making the industry sustainable, for example by acting to reduce the risks of animal disease. I know they will co-operate with us fully in achieving these joint goals.
	The Government will continue to press for radical reform of the common agriculture policy (CAP) in the negotiations on the mid-term review of Agenda 2000 which began earlier this week. But the resources allocated in the Spending Review allow Defra to press ahead with reform and modernisation of the farming industry now. The department will publish its strategy for sustainable farming and food in the autumn. I am very pleased that Sir Don Curry has agreed to chair a group which will act as a driver and overseer of change in the farming and food sectors through the implementation of the farming and food strategy, to ensure that we move rapidly towards a more sustainable, competitive and diverse farming and food industry which contributes to a thriving rural economy. The group will report to me.
	The settlement recognises the need to prevent, control and manage the risk of animal disease, where we are driven by the memory of last year's outbreak of foot and mouth disease as well as the legacy of BSE. The additional resources provided will allow funding of a wide range of work on animal health issues. These measures will be set in the context of a comprehensive animal health and welfare strategy, as recommended by the policy commission. This will address ways in which the industry should bear its share of the costs of animal health controls and services. I am also pleased to be able to announce that we have secured additional funds to deal with bovine TB this year. These will be used to pay for the extra staff and resources already committed to work on the TB testing backlog and control measures, and additional casual staff who will be recruited to supplement this work. Testing is being carried out on the basis of a veterinary risk assessment, with those posing the greatest risk being tested first.
	A countryside for all to enjoy
	In addition to the new agri-environment scheme, which will play an important role in making the countryside more attractive and in helping to preserve biodiversity, the Spending Review has allocated an additional £5 million in 2004–05 and £10 million in 2005–06 for work in bringing our major wildlife sites into favourable condition. In addition, the extra funding of £5 million in 2003–04 and £10 million in the two following years to implement the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act will increase public access and enjoyment of our beautiful countryside landscapes.
	Thriving rural economies and communities
	The investment in sustainable food and farming, in improving the condition of sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) and in opening up access to the countryside will benefit the wider rural economy. However, Defra's leadership role on rural affairs goes beyond this and our new rural PSA target reflects this. It commits us to reducing the gap in productivity between the least well-performing rural areas and the English average and making services more accessible for rural people. Defra will work with other government departments and agencies to deliver this and to ensure that the rural-proofing of their policies and programmes helps to deliver real improvements in prosperity and access to public services. The Spending Review White Paper sets out a range of commitments from other departments to deliver key services in rural areas and ensure that rural people benefit from the extra resources delivered through the review. The extra £25 million allocated in the Settlement over three years will further increase the additional funds announced in the Rural White Paper to help regenerate in market towns and improve the ability of rural communities and the rural voluntary sector to deliver services in support of the socially excluded and progress towards solutions to key rural concerns in each region.
	Protecting our communities from flooding
	Government investment in flood defence has increased significantly in real terms since 1997. Additional funding of £15 million a year was made available in the wake of the autumn 2000 floods. The new funds over and above this which have been allocated in the Spending Review will ensure that this growth will now accelerate to reach 8.6 per cent a year in real terms over the SR2002 period. The further allocation to the department of £15 million in 2004–05 and £40 million in 2005–06, together with the amounts available for grants to local authorities and the revenues we expect to be able to raise from new funding mechanisms, will deliver an increase of £150 million in the third year of the review. This level of resources, together with simplification of the administration of flood defences and effective partnership working with homeowners, local government, the Environment Agency, scientists and the insurance industry, will allow us to reduce the risk of threats to life and damage to property from flooding.
	Sustainable use of resources: the challenge from waste
	The Spending Review settlement takes into account the pressures on local government and provides for spending on environmental, protective and cultural services, including waste management, to rise by £671 million by 2005–06. The funds will also enable them to deal with the short-term problems of fridge disposal and changes to the legislation on hazardous waste. Final decisions on additional resources for addressing the challenge of growth in municipal waste and moving away from landfill disposal and on other policy measures will be made available when the Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) publishes its report into sustainable waste management in the autumn. These decisions and those on landfill tax and the future of the Landfill Tax Credit Schems (LCTS) will deliver a step change in performance. Defras PSA target of 25 per cent recycling and composting of household waste by 2005–06 demonstrates the Government's commitment to radical reform of municipal waste management.
	Science
	Evidence-based policy work is central Defra's approach. I want, at the very least, to maintain the department's expenditure on research in real terms over the Spending Review period. This is consistent with our commitment to the development of a strong and high quality science base. It will ensure that Defra's policy-making continues to be based in the latest evidence and scientific and economic analysis. We will aim to increase science spending in our identified priority areas. These include: environmental horizon-scanning, climate change and extreme weather, a supercomputer to strengthen the UK climate change research capability, non-food crops, organic food production and animal disease. We will also examine the findings of the foot and mouth disease inquiries closely and determine if any additional funding for research is required in these areas.
	Investment in the department
	A theme of the Spending Review across all departments has been ensuring that they have the necessary capacity to deliver. That has been a primary focus of the developing Defra change programme that was set up after the department was created last year. Additional funding of £140 million over the Spending Review period for investment in the department will enable it to take forward the next phase of the change programme flowing from the recent joint strategic review carried out with the Office for Public Service Reform (OPSR). The investment will give staff the tools they need to change their ways of working, focus on customers and deliver the high quality services that will build Defra's reputation as a respected, high performing, and efficient department.
	Forestry Commission
	The Forestry Commission is funded on a net basis after taking account of the income it received, mainly from sales of timber from the public forests. Its timber income has fallen significantly in recent years due to a worldwide slump in timber prices. The Spending Review settlement provides additional funding of
	£5 million a year on top of the 2003–04 baseline to enable the commission to continue to drive forward the Government's England Forestry Strategy despite the reduction in timber income. This new money underlines forestry's important place in England's rural affairs and will allow the commission to extend sustainable forests management, restore more native woodlands, increase community forests and the role of forests in tackling industrial dereliction. In addition to the funding shown in the White Paper, the commission is also benefiting from special funding from the Capital Modernisation Fund and the Invest to Save Budget amounting to almost £11 million in the next two years.
	Conclusion
	Spending by the department in 2005–06 will be more than £400 million higher than in 2002–03, supporting a programme of reform. It fulfils the Government's pledge to introduce a significant programme of measures to move the food and farming industries to a long-term sustainable basis, to create thriving and prosperous rural economies and communities and to improve the environment. And it takes full account of the department's lead role in promoting sustainable development across government for the good of our citizens, both now and in the future.

Veterinary Laboratories Agency Targets

Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What targets they have set the Veterinary Laboratories Agency for 2002–03.

Lord Whitty: We have set the Veterinary Laboratories Agency the following performance targets for 2002–03.
	Quality of Service
	1. To maintain current third party accreditations.
	2. To achieve ISO9000 accreditation for the TSE archive.
	Service Delivery
	3. To achieve a minimum of 85 per cent of ROAME project milestones.
	4. To meet 95 per cent of published turnaround time for export tests.
	5. To set a baseline for the customer satisfaction survey.
	Efficiency
	6. To achieve £500k savings on procurement spending.
	7. To achieve a 3 per cent improvement of overheads against turnover using the baseline established in 2001–02.
	Financial Performance
	8. To recover from government departments, agencies and external customers, the full economic cost of the agency's services.

Environment Agency Management Statement

Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to issue a revised management statement to the Environment Agency.

Lord Whitty: We are pleased to inform the House that the management statement has been issued to the Environment Agency today. The statement sets out the relationships between the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Welsh Assembly Government, exercising powers delegated by the National Assembly for Wales and the Environment Agency; the framework within which the agency will operate; and other guidance relevant to its functions. The management statement has been drawn up in consultation with the agency and is being issued jointly with the Welsh Assembly Government.
	A copy of the Statement has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Animal Health and Welfare Expenditure

Baroness David: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will provide an explanation for the animal health and welfare expenditure trends shown in the departmental report for 2002.

Lord Whitty: Tables 5.1 to 5.5 in the departmental report for 2002 contain a number of errors. These arose from differences in the way information is loaded on central databases, complications with compiling historical information following the recent machinery of government changes and the restructuring of Defra with the revised objectives that followed. Unfortunately, the tight timetable for producing these tables interfered with the quality assurance procedures that would normally have applied.
	The department's quality assurance procedures are being revised to prevent similar errors in future. Meanwhile, work is in hand to re–issue corrected tables. This is a signifiant task involving the re–loading of central databases which are subject to a number of timetable constraints. The intention is to provide revised figures by the autumn.
	Meanwhile, it is possible to clarify that underlying provision for resources available to control animal disease have risen in real terms over the period as follows:
	
		
			 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
			 Cash outturn Cash outturn Provisional resource outturn Resource budget 
			 £152 £183m £159m £206m 
		
	
	These figures exclude expenditure incurred on foot and mouth disease, given that this was funded centrally out of the reserve. The drop seen in 2001–02 can be explained by the diversion of state veterinary staff to tackling foot and mouth disease.

Adoption

Baroness David: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many would–be adopters have been rejected after assessment in each of the last five years.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	However, the department funded a study published by the British Association for Adoption and Fostering in 2000 called Children and families in the voluntary sector––An overview of child placement and adoption work by voluntary adoption agencies in England 1994–1998. This study was based on a sample of 949 cases from existing data collected and held by the Social Services Inspectorate. The SSI obtain the information during the inspection of voluntary adoption agencies. The study found that where a decision was made about applicants who had applied to voluntary adoption agencies 94 per cent were successful. The study did not include decisions made by local authorities.

Prostate Cancer and AIDS: Government Expenditure

Baroness O'Cathain: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the total sum of government money spent on research into (a) prostate cancer and (b) AIDS; and what is the annual number of deaths due to each.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In 2000–01, the latest year for which complete information is available for the United Kingdom, the total government expenditure on research into prostate cancer was estimated to be £2 million and on research into AIDS was estimated to be £21 million. In 2000, in the United Kingdom, the total number of deaths due to prostate cancer was 9,280 and the total numberof deaths due to HIV/AIDS was 418.
	The total government expenditure in 2000–01 on prostate cancer research includes £1.2 million by the Department of Health on directly commissioned research. The department is committed to increasing this expenditure to £4.2 million a year by 2003–04. The total government expenditure in 2000–01 on cancer research was estimated to be £190 million, and an unquantifiable proportion of this will have been spent on research that is relevant to many types of cancer, including prostate.

HIV

Baroness Ludford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the number of cases of HIV identified in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the London region in each of the years since the condition was first recorded; whether they have identified any patterns from those figures, with particular regard to means of transmission; and whether they will give details of measures being taken to bring down the number of cases in the United Kingdom.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Figures for reported cases of HIV infection diagnosed in the United Kingdom and in the London region are shown in the first table.
	
		
			 Year of diagnosis London region UK total 
			 1984 or earlier* 774 1,617 
			 1985 1,802 3,229 
			 1986 1,618 2,767 
			 1987 1,548 2,509 
			 1988 1,202 1,951 
			 1989 1,375 2,140 
			 1990 1,636 2,543 
			 1991 1,754 2,715 
			 1992 1,697 2,740 
			 1993 1,623 2,613 
			 1994 1,584 2,571 
			 1995 1,681 2,639 
			 1996 1,705 2,685 
			 1997 1,716 2,723 
			 1998 1,760 2,799 
			 1999 1,941 3,030 
			 2000 2,262 3,723 
			 2001** 2,362 4,164 
			 Total 30,040 49,158 
		
	
	The second table shows the figures for UK-diagnosed HIV infections according to probable route of infection.
	
		Probable route of infection
		
			 Year of Sex Sex Injecting Blood/ Mother Other/un- Total 
			 diagnosis between between drug use Blood to child determined 
			  men men and  factor 
			   women 
			 1984 or earlier* 684 26 312 569 — 26 1,617 
			 1985 2,112 54 276 686 3 98 3,229 
			 1986 1,989 156 448 89 10 75 2,767 
			 1987 1,747 237 382 50 10 83 2,509 
			 1988 1,380 241 230 25 13 62 1,951 
			 1989 1,452 359 212 29 16 72 2,140 
			 1990 1,700 534 200 24 29 56 2,543 
			 1991 1,712 646 241 24 36 56 2,715 
			 1992 1,639 780 187 24 57 53 2,740 
			 1993 1,498 766 203 17 66 63 2,613 
			 1994 1,480 793 168 17 60 53 2,571 
			 1995 1,465 849 181 20 59 65 2,639 
			 1996 1,539 837 172 21 60 56 1,685 
			 1997 1,390 1,005 168 27 82 51 2,723 
			 1998 1,344 1,154 130 10 92 69 2,799 
			 1999 1,326 1,405 109 19 80 91 3,030 
			 2000 1,437 1,880 100 22 95 189 3,723 
			 2001** 1,338 2,226 89 21 52 438 4,164 
			 Total 27,232 13,948 3,808 1,694 820 1,656 49,158 
		
	
	* Data for 1984 and earlier years have been combined as these pre-date the availability of the first HIV antibody test.
	** Numbers, particularly for recent years, will rise as further reports are received.
	Source:
	Public Health Laboratory Service: data to the end of March 2002.
	A number of trends are apparent from these data. It is important to note, however, that diagnosed infections may not reflect contemporary transmission patterns, as many years may elapse between infection and diagnosis. For example, a very high proportion of infections acquired through sex between men and women were recorded as probably acquired abroad, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, although more infections have been diagnosed among heterosexuals for the past three years, sex between men remains the predominant route of HIV transmission within the UK. Around half of all HIV-infected individuals currently living in the UK were infected by this route.
	The Sexual Health and HIV Strategy for England prioritises the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. In line with the epidemiology, HIV prevention and health promotion targets those groups most at risk, particularly men who have sex with men and heterosexuals from or with close links to African countries. For a number of years we have funded the Terrence Higgins Trust to undertake national HIV prevention work for gay men through the CHAPS project (Community HIV/AIDS Prevention Strategy). As part of the implementation of the Sexual Health and HIV Strategy we are working with the African HIV Policy Network and the National AIDS Trust to develop a strategic framework for HIV prevention. The strategy also announced a new information campaign for the general population in England to raise awareness of sexually transmitted infections (including HIV) and how they can be prevented. We plan to launch the new campaign later this year.
	Furthermore, the routine offer and recommendation of an HIV test to all pregnant women is enabling women to benefit from treatment for themselves and for their babies to reduce the risk of mother to child transmission. An estimated 75 infections in infants were averted in 2000.

Contraceptive Advice for Young People

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When questions of conscientious objection to abortion referral and contraceptive provision to under-16s were included in local audits of general practice; and who they consulted beforehand.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Best Practice Guidance on the Provision of Effective Contraceptive and Advice Services for Young People was issued to local teenage pregnancy co-ordinators in 2000. The guidance is a specific action point of the Government's Teenage Pregnancy Strategy and sets out the criteria by which contraceptive advice services should be commissioned and provided. This includes the provision of confidential contraceptive advice to under-16s within the established legal framework, the provision of early pregnancy testing and non-judgmental advice, and where abortion is the agreed course, quick referral to NHS funded abortion services in line with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Evidence Based Guideline 7 (2000).
	In 2001 the Teenage Pregnancy Unit provided an audit questionnaire for local areas to review community contraceptive services and general practice against the Best Practice Guidance in order to identify gaps in provision and plan improvements. The majority of areas completed their general practice audits by March 2002.
	The guidance and the audit questionnaire were developed in consultation with health professionals, including those representing general practice on the Government's Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy.

Contraceptive Advice for Young People

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether it is their policy to encourage general practitioners to provide abortions or contraception to under-16s; and, if so, how they propose to do this.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government's Teenage Pregnancy Strategy recognises the importance of helping young people resist peer pressure to have early sex while seeking to ensure that those who are sexually active have easy access to high quality contraceptive advice. Under-16s are at particular risk of unprotected sex. Although over a quarter are sexually active, they are less likely than older teenagers to access services and use contraception. Teenagers who become pregnant often delay seeking advice from a health professional and are more likely to have late abortions and miss out on antenatal care.
	Improving access to professional advice by sexually active teenagers is a central strand of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy. General practitioners have a key role to play in this. Best Practice Guidance on the Provision of Effective Contraception and Advice Services was issued in 2000 setting out the criteria against which services should be commissioned and provided. The guidance includes the provision of contraceptive advice to under-16s within the established legal framework and highlights that health professionals' duty of confidentiality to under-16s is the same as that owed to older patients. Services are also expected to provide early pregnancy testing, non-judgmental advice and, where abortion is the agreed option, quick referral to NHS funded abortion in line with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists evidence based guideline The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion (2000). General practitioners are expected to work to the principles of the guidance.
	Section 4 of the Abortion Act 1967, as amended, which relates to conscientious objection to abortion, does not extend to giving advice or performing the preparatory steps to arrange an abortion where the request meets the legal requirements. Such steps include referral to another doctor, without delay.
	Local teenage pregnancy strategy partnerships have been auditing services against the guidance to identify gaps in provision and plan improvements. Each area is developing plans with the relevant PCTs to support general practice in meeting the needs of their teenage patients. The Teenage Pregnancy Unit is also working closely with the Royal College of General Practitioners to develop relevant training materials.

NHS Bodies: Contracts with non-UK Organisations

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which National Health Service Bodies will enter into contracts with non-United Kingdom organisations to carry out operations on National Health Service patients in England; and, if any of those National Health Service bodies are strategic health authorities, how that will affect the commissioning responsibilities of primary care trusts.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Decisions on which National Health Service bodies will enter into these contracts are likely to depend on the exact nature of the contracts proposed. As the prospectus Growing Capacity, a new role for external healthcare providers in England notes, NHS commissioners will have a key role—working with the Department of Health—in defining their requirements from international establishment initiatives.

Mental Health Bill: Categories of Mental Disorder

Lord Lucas: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the context of the draft Mental Health Bill, which definitions they prefer for "personality", "personality disorder", "severe personality disorder", "dangerous severe personality disorder" and "dangerous".

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The draft Mental Health Bill does not define particular categories of mental disorder. This means that no particular clinical diagnosis will have the effect of limiting the way the powers are used. The same conditions will be used to determine whether an individual falls within the scope of the legislation whatever their diagnosis.
	The Government have not attempted to produce new definitions for the terms described, but would accept those in general usage and agreed clinical definitions. There is an internationally recognised classification system for personality disorder and these clinical definitions are accepted in relation to the term personality disorder where it is used in the consultation document attached to the draft Mental Health Act.
	The World Health Organisation and the American Psychiatric Association have produced definitions of personality disorder. The International Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders (ICD-10) (World Health Organisation 1992), defines a personality disorder as: "a severe disturbance in the characterological condition and behavioural tendencies of the individual, usually involving several areas of the personality, and nearly always associated with considerable personal and social disruption". The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association 1994) defines a personality disorder as: "an enduring pattern of inner experience and behaviour that deviates markedly from the expectations of the individual's culture".
	The classification system does not distinguish between "personality disorder" and "severe personality disorder". The term "dangerous and severe personality disorder" is not a recognised clinical classification.
	The term "severe personality disorder" is now in general use as a means of identifying, from within the millions of people with a degree of personality disorder in this country, the relatively small number whose condition is so serious as to require specialist interventions.
	It is acknowledged that dangerous and severe personality disorder does not exist as a condition in its own right. The DSPD Programme has adopted the term DSPD as a working title and is currently developing—with clinicians and others—a supporting description that will be more meaningful to clinicians, lawyers and the general public. Any definition and description will be considered as part of the evaluation of the pilot projects.

Disability Equipment

Lord Campbell of Croy: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they have taken so far on the report of the Audit Commission, published in March 2000, on the quality of artificial limbs, surgical appliances and disability equipment services in the United Kingdom.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The National Health Service Purchasing and Supplies Agency (PASA) is in ongoing consultation with the industry regarding supply of disability equipment in general, which includes discussion regarding research and development. The Department of Health's Medical Devices Agency is responsible for enforcing regulations which cover safety and quality aspects of disability equipment. The agency investigates adverse incidents involving these products in conjunction with the manufacturers. Resultant design or material changes generally improve product quality.
	The NHS Plan set targets to integrate health and social care community equipment services and to increase by 50 per cent the number of people who can benefit from such services by 2004. A national implementation support team has been established to help local NHS and social services organisations through the transition from separate to integrated services.
	In relation to orthotics, PASA and others are working together to identify and resolve service problems with a view to developing improved patient outcomes and patient focussed service provision. The quality of the finish of artificial limbs has been improved by the introduction of silicone cosmesis covers, funding for which has been increased by £4 million over three years from April 2001: £30.75 million has also been invested in modernisation of hearing aid services, including the provision of high quality digital hearing aids.

Meat Hygiene Service Annual Report and Accounts

Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the 2002–02 annual report and accounts for the Meat Hygiene Service will be laid before Parliament.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The 2001–02 annual report and accounts for the Meat Hygiene Service were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library, but formal printing and publication will not occur for another six to eight weeks, pending preparation of a version in Welsh as required by the Welsh Language Act.

Medicines Control Agency Annual Report and Accounts

Lord Patel of Blackburn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish the annual report and accounts of the Medicines Control Agency.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We have received the report and copies have today been laid before both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the requirements of Sections 5(2) and 5(3) of the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1921. Copies have also been placed in the Library.

Medicines Commission Annual Report and Accounts

Lord Patel of Blackburn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to receive the annual Report of the Medicines Commission for 2001; and whether this will be published

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We have received the report, and copies have been laid before both Houses of Parliament today in accordance with the requirements of Section 5(2) of the Medicines Act 1968.
	Bound volumes have been placed in the Library containing the 2001 reports of the Medicines Commission, the Committee on Safety of Medicines, the Advisory Board on the Registration of Hornoeopathic Products, the British Pharmacopoeia Commission, the Independent Review Panel on Advertising, the Independent Panel for Borderline Products and the Veterinary Products Committee.
	We are glad to acknowledge the valuable work done by the distinguished members of the Medicines Act advisory bodies and thank them for the time and effort dedicated in the public interest to this important work.

NHS Pensions Agency

Lord Carter: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish the annual report and accounts of the National Health Service Pensions Agency.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We have approved the annual report and accounts which have today been laid before the House of Commons in accordance with the requirements of Section 7 of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000. Copies have been placed in the Library.

NHS Pensions Agency

Lord Carter: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish the key targets for 2002–03 of the National Health Service Pensions Agency; and whether they will make an announcement over the future of the Agency

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We have agreed the agency's key targets for 2002–03, and have placed copies in the Libraries of both Houses. A review of the agency will be completed by the end of this year. This will address the performance of the agency and will examine the options ("prior options") for the future of the agency.

Religious Organisations Broadcasting Licences

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which other member states of the European Union have enacted statutory discrimination legislation to prevent religious organisations holding a wide range of broadcasting licences.

Baroness Blackstone: We hold no information on which other member states of the European Union have legislation preventing religious organisations from holding certain broadcasting licences.

Centre for Management and Policy Studies Annual Report and Accounts

Lord Bruce of Donington: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will publish the annual report and accounts for the Centre for Management and Policy Studies.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Copies of the second annual report and accounts for the Centre for Management and Policy Studies for the year 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	The report and accounts show that financial targets have been met. The quality targets were met and in some cases exceeded. The volume targets for participants in training and development were exceeded in the aggregate.
	The changes to Cabinet Office announced by
	Sir Andrew Turnbull, and presently being implemented in advance of his arrival in September, will have a significant effect on CMPS as an organisation.

IT Procurement: Open Source Software

Lord Bruce of Donington: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What their policy is towards the use of open source software to enable increased value for money in IT procurement across the public sector.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: This Government are intent on securing the best value for money in its IT procurements by encouraging the development of a flourishing IT industry which supplies both proprietary and open source software solutions to the public sector. Government procurement decisions will be based on the ability of the solutions to deliver effective and economic systems and services.
	I am pleased to announce new policy on the use of open source software within UK Government. It explains how we will consider open source software solutions alongside proprietary ones in IT procurements and award contracts on a value for money basis, seeking to avoid lock-in to proprietary IT products and services. In addition, the UK Government will consider obtaining full rights to bespoke software code or customisations of COTS (commercial off the shelf) software it procures wherever this achieves best value for money. It will also explore further the possibilities of using OSS as the default exploitation route for government funded R&D software.
	The open source software policy has been formulated for use within UK Government because we seek to embrace the fast moving pace of the software industry and to acknowledge the clear potential for open source software to change the software infrastructure marketplace. It also serves as an appropriate response to the recent European Commission's action plan for the initiative eEurope—An Information Society for all. UK Government, in joining with its European partners to explore the availability of open source software solutions, will seek to realise the significant potential for cost-savings in the future and to achieve an increased flexibility in the development, enhancement and integration of our IT systems.

Executive Agencies

Lord Tomlinson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What the outcome was of the review of policy towards executive agencies.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Government have published the report of the review which was jointly sponsored by the Cabinet Office and the Treasury. Pam Alexander led the review. Copies of the review's report and recommendations have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	The review has far-reaching implications for improving the delivery of central government services. It concludes that the agency model has been a success in improving, and in some cases transforming, services and functions delivered by central government and has brought customer focus and a performance culture into the civil service. However, it finds that agencies have in some cases become detached from Ministers and from departments' increasing focus on strategic aims; controls over processes have reduced effectiveness and responsiveness without providing a shared strategic direction.
	The report makes 12 recommendations to achieve and maintain strategic connection and improve service delivery. These include:
	departmental leadership which values equally policy and delivery skills and agency management with a clear understanding of ministerial objectives;
	simpler governance structures providing strategic direction from departments and external challenge from non-executive directors on management boards;
	alignment of departmental and agency key targets and a cycle of reviews to ensure that structures and processes across departments support the achievement of key objectives; and
	maximum use of financial and managerial delegations to support responsive, flexible and effective delivery.
	The Cabinet Office and Treasury will be working with departments to put the review's recommendations into effect over the coming months as part of the wider drive to improve the effectiveness of public services and place a culture of delivery at the heart of government.

Civil Service Pension Arrangements

Baroness Serota: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to introduce new pension arrangements for the Civil Service.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Under the provisions of the Superannuation Act 1972, three amendment schemes have been placed before Parliament. The first of these amends the rules of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) and introduces new provisions for those joining the pension scheme on or after 1 October 2002. The second amendment scheme makes consequential changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme, and the third amendment scheme removes the injury benefit provisions of the PCSPS to a separate scheme.
	Pension arrangements for civil servants (and those in employments and offices listed in Schedule 1 to the Superannuation Act 1972) will change on 1 October 2002. New entrants joining after that date will generally be given the choice of a final salary pension or a stakeholder pension with an employer contribution. The new arrangements are being introduced on a cost-neutral basis for employers.
	We recognise that pensions form a significant part of the Civil Service remuneration package, and we want civil servants to be able to choose the pension that suits them best. Today's Civil Service does not offer a job for life and is benefiting from greater interchange with other sectors at all levels within the organisation. Final salary pensions may be good for those who spend a long period with one employer, but those who change jobs frequently during their career may prefer their employer to contribute to a stakeholder pension. By giving our new staff a choice of two good quality pension alternatives we aim not only to support a more diverse Civil Service but also to raise awareness and appreciation of the value of the pension element of the pay package.
	The new final salary option will be known as the premium scheme. It will provide a pension based on one-sixtieth of final pensionable earnings for each year of service. Other features of the premium scheme include:
	option to exchange part of pension for lump sum on retirement;
	ill-health pensions varying in amount depending on the extent of incapacity;
	death-in-service lump sum of three times pay;
	pensions for surviving spouses of 3/8ths of the member's pension;
	pension payable to a surviving eligible unmarried partner if the member does not leave a spouse;
	pensions for children.
	Existing members of the PCSPS will have the option of joining the premium scheme or remaining with the current provisions (to be renamed the classic scheme). Members opting for classic will continue to earn a pension based on 1/80th of pay for each year of service, plus a retirement lump sum of three times pension. Members opting to join the premium scheme will have their past service reduced—typically to 92 per cent of its previous amount—to reflect the improved benefit structure. Members may also opt for classic plus; this option effectively provides premium scheme benefits for service from 1 October with service before 1 October continuing to be pensioned broadly on the classic model.
	We are moving to the new arrangements on a cost-neutral basis, with the entire cost of benefit improvements being met by increased contributions by members. None of the cost of the benefit improvements will fall on the taxpayer. All premium and classic plus members will pay the new contribution rate of 3.5 per cent. Members opting to remain in the classic scheme will continue to pay contributions of 1.5 per cent of pay.
	The stakeholder pension alternative will be known as the partnership pension account. Employees will choose their pension provider from the following panel:
	AMP Corporate Pensions
	Scottish Widows
	Standard Life
	TUC.
	Employees opting for a partnership pension account do not need to contribute but will be encouraged to do so by having their contributions matched up to 3 per cent of pay. In addition, the employer will pay contributions based on age, varying from 3 per cent of pay for those under 21, to 12.5 per cent of pay for those aged 46 and over. Lump sum benefits of up to three times pay on death in service and on ill health retirement will be provided separately and will be the subject of future schemes under the Superannuation Act.
	Civil Service remuneration is set having regard to the need to recruit, retain and motivate staff of the appropriate quality. Full account is taken of the value of pension arrangements, including the cost of index-linking, in setting the balance between the pay and pension elements of the reward package.
	The Civil Service unions have been involved throughout the development of the new pension options, both in negotiating the terms and also in appraising their members of the options open to them. The unions' constructive involvement throughout this process stands as a testament to the value of partnership working.

Government Car and Despatch Agency Annual Report and Accounts

Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to publish the Government Car and Despatch Agency's (GCDA) annual report and accounts 2001–02.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The GCDA annual report and accounts 2001–02 has today been laid before Parliament, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On what (a) general topics and (b) Bills they have sought advice of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; what was that advice; and in what ways it was acted upon.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Act 1998 required the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to advise the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the scope for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. The consultation is still ongoing, and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission will send the final advice to the Secretary of State in 2003.
	Section 69(2) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 required the commission to make recommendations to the Secretary of State as to the commission's effectiveness within two years of its inception. The Secretary of State received the commission's recommendations in March 2001, and has recently published, for consultation, the Government's response to the review document. Replies to the consultation document are expected in mid-August, at which time the Government will consider the replies received prior to issuing a response to the commission.
	The Government have also referred two Bills to the commission for comment, the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill and the Terrorism Bill. The commission offered advice to the Government on both those Bills. The Government have considered carefully the advice they have received from the commission in framing their policies and legislation. The advice given by the commission is a matter for the commission to make public, if it wishes.